RACE and fan favourite Dhruv Rodrigues-Chico says a relaxed approach on the starting blocks helped power him to win the iconic Stawell Gift on Easter Monday.
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Rodrigues-Chico said coach Tom Morehouse's final advice had been to relax so he could take off faster and this had reaped the reward when it counted most.
The Sandringham-based athlete was strong off seven metres, holding off Leonard King (6.75m).
Rodrigues-Chico said he kinew King would be good off the blocks and worked with that to give himself the best start possible.
Unexpectedly winning the Hastings Gift was the turning point this season for Rodrigues-Chico who said this was when he decided to really knuckle down and focus on that one race at Stawell.
"The ($40,000 prizemoney) means a lot but having the title and being a Stawell Gift winner is more important," Rodrigues-Chico said.
Rodrigues-Chico's name has been popular about Central Park for the three-day carnival and, in a post-race pres conference, was quick to explain his heritage. He hails from Goa in India, which was a Portuguese colony, and arrived in Australia aged 10 after having first having moved with his family to New Zealand.
And if you are curious about Dhruv's exotic name, he was born in Goa, India, which was a Portuguese colony, so the name is of Portuguese origin. Dhruv lived in New Zealand from the age of two, before moving to Australia aged 10.